Meet Google’s Project Ara: The World’s First Modular Mobile Phone

How about tossing a phone because you broke the screen? Did you ever feel the need to upgrade your phone just because its camera wasn’t good enough? What if you could just remove the screen or camera out and replace with a new one? Modularity is coming to smartphones perhaps as early as 2015, courtesy of Google and it begins with Project Ara.

Google has started the preparation for the release of Project Ara as early as in 2015. Ara is a device that will bring modularity in smart phones, which means users will be allowed to create their own smart phones and modify it according to their needs. For example if you don’t like the camera on your smart any more then you will be able to replace it with a different camera module.

According to source the phone will have different modules at its front and back and users will be able to add 5-10 modules based on the skeleton of the phone. This skeleton or the base hardware is known as Endo. Features can be added to this Endo as a plug and play device. These modules can be battery, camera etc.

Now comes the price part, it is expected to be launched at $50 for the base hardware with minimum required modules. This is expected to be launched in early 2015. Below are some of the facts about the Ara.

Some Facts About Google’s Project Ara

Modules: Modules are the the features of the cell phone which can be connected to the cell phone as a plug and play device through electropermanent magnets. These modules will be created by various developers/manufacturers using the open source MDK tool. These modules can be in the form of cameras, antennas, batteries, processors, and anything that can be fit into a module shell.

Where to Buy Modules: Google will have an eCommerce site that will work alongside the Google Play store. You will be able to purchase modules online.

Availability: The phone is still in the early phases of development and an introductory phone is expected sometime in 2015.

Cost: It is expected that Google will introduce an entry-level Grey Phone into the market that will cost $50 to produce.

Updating Android: Android doesn’t support a modular system at present, but the operating system is being updated to support it, with an expected release date of early 2015. So Google will be releasing the updates in future and you will be able to upgrade your android.

The promises from Google seems to be very exciting for me. Just hoping for the best and waiting to get an Ara whenever it is released.

+Ayodhyanath Guru holds a B.Tech degree in Electrical Engineering and has worked with various prestigious clients in the IT industry and presently working as a Software Engineer. He is a part time blogger and presently authors the Jafaloo.Com blog. Being a tech enthusiast Guru likes to surf the web and blogs about interesting technical topics like How-To guides, freewares, Tutorials, Software, Gadgets, web applications etc. Apart from blogging he likes coding in Java/J2EE and PHP.